HBO To Make George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" Books Into a Series

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HBO To Make George R.R. Martin's "Song of Ice and Fire" Books Into a Series

HBO has acquired the rights to turn George R.R. Martin's bestselling fantasy series "A Song of Fire & Ice" into a dramatic series to be written and exec produced by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

"Fire" is the first TV project for Benioff ("Troy") and Weiss ("Halo") and will shoot in Europe or New Zealand. Benioff and Weiss will write every episode of each season together save one, which the author (a former TV writer) will script.

The series will begin with the 1996 first book, "A Game of Thrones," and the intention is for each novel (they average 1,000 pages each) to fuel a season's worth of episodes. Martin has nearly finished the fifth installment, but won't complete the seven-book cycle until 2011.

The author will co-exec produce the series along with Management 360's Guymon Casady and Created By's Vince Gerardis.

Martin's series has drawn comparisons to J.R.R. Tolkien, because both are period epics set in imagined lands. But Martin has eschewed Tolkien's good-vs.-evil theme in favor of flawed characters from seven noble families.

The book has a decidedly adult bent, with sex and violence comparable to series like "Rome" and "Deadwood."

"They tried for 50 years to make 'Lord of the Rings' as one movie before Peter Jackson found success making three," Martin said. "My books are bigger and more complicated, and would require 18 movies. Otherwise, you'd have to choose one or two characters."

Aside from writing the most recent draft of "Halo," Weiss recently adapted the William Gibson novel "Pattern Recognition" for WB and director Peter Weir.

Benioff and Weiss were repped by CAA and Management 360.

variety.com

I've only read half of the first book, but only because I was lazy, not because it was bad. This will actually make me pick the books back up again a) because they are AWESOME and b) because I feel like this will be a LOT like Rome

When I first found out about this last year, I was really excited,, Fire and Ice is one of the greatest fantasy series out.. If HBO does it right, then this will be a great addition to all the other great HBO shows that came out.. But at the same time,... Because of costs... Deadwood..... Carnival and others got cancelled... So I am just hoping that HBO doesnt screw us..... because seriously, this will be a really great show...

Martin is one of the best fanasty writers ever. The first three books of this series are great reads. If you like fanasty books, read them, but don't get to attached to some of the good guys early in the series. Martin did a "Heroes" type series called Wild Cards that the Heroes' producers should read. I hope HBO doesn't F it up and fill it with crappy acting pretty boys and sloppy screenwriting. Yes, this will be expensive to pull off.

Martin is one of the best fanasty writers ever. The first three books of this series are great reads. If you like fanasty books, read them, but don't get to attached to some of the good guys early in the series.Martin did a "Heroes" type series called Wild Cards that the Heroes' producers should read. I hope HBO doesn't F it up and fill it with crappy acting pretty boys and sloppy screenwriting. Yes, this will be expensive to pull off.

LOL .. That came across my mind as well...
Imagine if Heroes had incorporated that into the show...

LOL .. That came across my mind as well...
Imagine if Heroes had incorporated that into the show...

Yeah, it would have been more down to earth in human conflict instead of the world going to end, again, and again. Wild Cards had meta-power gangster wars, mind-control senator and supercharge terrorists. Heroes is starting to get stale. Back to the subject at hand, hope the Song of Ice and Fire series is done as well as the Hobbit movies.

This is probably the best book series I have ever read- thus far. I am typically not a fantasy type person, but these books are really good.

I was just checking and by googling A Game of Thrones you can find updates. It appears as though they are aiming for a spring 2011 release. This series has some very accomplished actors as well. I will definitely be watching this.